Bo Scholten

Chapel for Grief

Do we live in a time when we are still allowed or able to truly grieve?

Or have efficiency and speed taken over?

This question increasingly preoccupies me.

Efficiency can certainly offer advantages: it makes our lives easier in many ways. But should we allow it to influence our entire existence? Not in my opinion. There are moments in life that deserve time and attention, moments we should be able to experience in peace and with awareness. For me, the grieving process is one of them. Grief cannot be forced or controlled; it is different for everyone. No two processes are the same.

For my thesis, I researched wonder and the influence of our society on how we experience the world. It clearly emerged that our experiences are increasingly driven by reason or intellect, and less and less by emotion. We live in a society where speed, efficiency, productivity, and technology are central. These factors mean that we take less and less time to reflect on our surroundings and ourselves. We feel increasingly disconnected and, as a result, lose our roots.

For me, wonder is the conscious experience of the world as it is and how it presents itself to us. It means that we dare to ask ourselves questions, that we are open to the possibility that things could be different. It requires an open mind without closing ourselves off. Wonder is a constant interaction between us and the world in which we live.

My design focuses on the ritual of mourning and the time it takes. The Wooldsveen is the location of my design: a place where tranquillity envelops you like a blanket. The route through the peatland invites you to slow down and become aware of your body and feelings.

For the chapel, I worked with the idea of the "permanent imprint": a negative of the environment, created by working with local materials. This symbolises the imprint left by a loved one, an imprint that never fades. It is a place where time is allowed to exist and where grief is given space.